Way too Haught
by TheAthenianLife
Summary: A series of misunderstandings lead to angst between Waverly and Nicole. Wayhaught!
1. Chapter 1

**It's starts off heated but I promise it's the worst it gets! Set a few weeks after the end of season one without demon Waverly.**

Nicole's hand in her hair, Waverly was so intoxicated with the feel of her lips of hers that she barely knew what she was doing. She just knew that she needed the feel of Nicole's skin on hers as she tore her shirt over her head, and yanked her lips back down.

"Waverly…" Nicole sighed as she explored the smooth skin of her neck. It only made Waverly's hands wander lower, circling the hem of Nicole's pants. "Waverly." Nicole removed her hands from her hair placing them on top of hers.

"Mhhhm?" She was stretching herself taller, her mouth seeking Nicole's again, and her thumb's hook on the belt loops of her jeans.

"Waverly." Nicole pulled away from the kiss. "Waverly stop." She repeated when the girl took a second too long to register what she was saying.

"What's wrong?" She was breathless, still not recovered from the rush of girlfriend's hands. "Perhaps we should move." She took her hand, leading her up the stairs. The living room of the homestead might not be the most romantic place after all...even if Wynonna was gone with Dolls on some overnight stakeout.

The second she had heard Wynonna slam the screen door behind her this morning she hadn't wasted a moment to call Nicole. She wanted to take every advantage of the limited alone time they had.

"No n-n-no." Nicole pulled Waverly back, then dropped her hand like it was a live coal. "I should um go." It was like someone had flipped a switch in her. A second ago they were making out and now…? Waverly watched her as she pulled her shirt back over her head in some manic rush. "I um have to be back at the station."

"You said you shift didn't start until four today?"

"Did I? Must have misspoke." Nicole's words were rushed, nervous. Waverly had never seen her like this. Somehow she didn't think the red on her cheeks was due to the remnants of their kisses either. She glanced at the clock so fast, Waverly knew she couldn't have actually read it. "Yup going to be late. I should go. Bye!"

"Nic! Nicole!" Waverly chased her out of the homestead back to her cruiser, forgetting about her lack of shirt. She only caught up as she was starting the engine, muffled curses coming through the closed window. Waverly tried to yank open the door, but it stuck, sending her flying back onto her bum.

Nicole jumped out of the car to help her up. "Nicole, what's wrong?" Waverly grasped both her her hands holding her still.

Nicole took a deep breath, "Nothing. Nothing's wrong." she slowed her speech trying to get back her normal cool. 'I just have to go to work. I'll talk to you later okay? Now get inside before you catch a cold." She smiled and dropped her hands to get back in the cruiser.

"You know cold temperatures don't actually cause you to get the common cold it actually just-" Waverly cut herself off. "You have an extra uniform in my room if you want to change so that you know…" She gestured to her girlfriend's wild hair and rumpled clothes.

"I'm fine. I'll change in the office. I'll see you." But Nicole didn't meet her eyes as she placed the quickest kiss on her cheek and hopped back into the car.

Waverly watched her move down the driveway faster than they both knew was safe, waving her fingers meekly. "Yeah, see you." She muttered.

Sent from Waverly 2:34 pm

Hi you get to work ok?

Sent from Waverly 2:35 pm

Everything alright?

Sent from Nicole 2:46 pm

All good.

Sent from Waverly 2:46 pm

Yay! :) Call me when you get off? 3

Sent from Nicole 3:57 pm

Sure.

Nicole didn't call that night. Waverly even left her phone on when she went to bed just in case Nicole got stuck working a double and didn't get off until early in the morning. But no call came then either. She's probably just tired after work. Waverly told herself. Maybe she just forgot.

She tossed and turned the whole night. She didn't know why. It was probably no big deal. Just a little slip up. She read a clock wrong then got tired after her shift. It was an easy enough explanation. Nothing wrong. Nothing at all.

Her lip was sore from biting it when she woke up.

Sent from Waverly 9:13 am

Goodmorning :)

Sent from Waverly 9:13 am

How was work?

Sent from Nicole 9:17 am

Fine.

Sent from Nicole 9:18 am

What's up?

Sent from Waverly 9:19 am

Nothing just wondering what youre doing today….

Sent from Nicole 10:01 am

Stuck at the station again.

Sent from Waverly 10:02 am

Maybe we could hang out after?

Sent from Nicole 10:09 am

I dont know I'm a bit sick dont want you to catch it

Sent from Waverly 10:10 am

I'll bring some soup over then

Sent from Waverly 10:11 am

We could do a movie or something :P

Snet from Nicole 10:14 am

It's fine. You dont have to.

Sent from Waverly 10:28 am

Ok

Sent from Waverly 10:28 am

Feel better

Nicole didn't seem sick last night. Everything was going fine until... Waverly shook her head. She didn't know what happened. Until what? Had she done something?

Her leg bounced up and down as she stared at a page in a book she was supposed to be reading for another one of her classes. She wasn't comprehending a word. Had she said something that Nicole might have misunderstood? Was she mad about the hickey she had left by accident the last time?

Waverly jumped when Wynonna barged in through the door. "Wassup Babygirl? What do we have for breakfast, because let me tell you Dolls does not know a thing about how to pack for a slumber party in a parking lot."

"Cereal in the cabinet." Waverly called but she didn't get up from her spot on the couch. Had she forgotten something? Nicole's birthday wasn't for another two months and her cat's just past. An anniversary? No. They had been together for five months and 23 days when she did the math. There was no anniversary there. She had to have done something!

Waverly gave up and slammed her book down on the seat next to her with a grunt.

"Hey." Wynonna plopped down beside her sister, putting her new bowl of cereal down on the coffee table. "What's wrong Babygirl?"

"I don't know!" Waverly shoved her face in her hands.

"If there's nothing wrong then I don't know why you acting like a pmsing revenant."

Waverly sighed, going to bite her nails, a habit she thought she had dropped in middle school. "I think Nicole and I are having problems."

"Really? I thought you said you guys were doing great?" Waverly shrugged. "Okay. I'll be back." Wynonna went to get off the couch and went to grab Peacemaker from where she had hung him on a coat rack.

"No!" Waverly stopped her. "You don't have to do you're big sister threatening thing-"

"It won't be a threat if she hurt you like this!"

"It's not her fault! I-I think I did something."

Wynonna placed Peacemaker back on his hook. "You sure?"

"Yeah. Yeah I just need to go and apologize."

"If you say so." She pulled her sister into a hug and stroked her hair. 'You'll work it out, you two have the worst puppy eyes I have ever seen." Waverly tried to smile at her, but she didn't have it in her. "Look, I'm going to take a nap before Dolls calls me in this afternoon. You should too. You look exhausted."

"Thanks." Waverly rolled her eyes.

"Just doing my job!" Wynonna waved her spoon in the air as she finished her cereal on her way upstairs.


	2. Chapter 2

**As per request: a longer chapter. I hope you like it!**

Waverly's fingers itched above the keyboard. Lilacs for love. Peonies for apology. And lilies because they were her favorite. That sounded right. Right? Or maybe she should just go with the normal red roses? Was that too simple? Or was the whole custom bouquet too much? Would she even remember the meaning behind all the flowers? Waverly knew she had babbled on about them to her at one point, but what if she wasn't listening? Most people didn't really care about those stupid things anyways right? Why was she always babbling?

Waverly sighed. Custom bouquet. Even if Nicole didn't understand all the meanings behind it it would seem more...personal.

Punching in the number for the flower shop in town, Waverly's leg bounced as she waited for someone to pick up. She was doing the right thing right? Girls liked flowers. Flowers were good. "Hello?...Yes, this is Waverly Earp. I would like to place an order for a bouquet...Yes I was wondering if you had lilacs, lilies and some peonies?...umm yes extra lilies...uhh…" The shop boy had asked if she wanted to pick them up or to have them delivered. Bringing them to her herself would be good, because then they could talk it out and then maybe they would be okay. But if she did that then Waverly would have to apologize in person...and to do that she needed to figure out what she had been doing wrong. And, oh god, there were a lot of things she could think of, but she couldn't figure out which one was the one Nicole was mad about and if she apologized for the wrong thing...well Waverly had been on the other end with that with Champ and she could say, it never felt good.

"Hello?" The shop boy was getting inpatient.

"Yes, yes sorry. Umm delivery please. To the Purgatory police station? Officer Nicole Haught."

"And would you like to add a note to that?"

"Yes please!" Waverly told the boy what she wanted on it and hung up. They would be there later this afternoon, he said. She bit her lip though a smile. God, she hoped this worked.

At that moment, Wynonna came fumbling down the stairs, the ends of her hair still wet from a shower. Waverly glanced at the clock. It had been three hours since she had gone up for a nap. Had it really taken Waverly so long just to order flowers?

"Hey. I'm heading back to the station before Dolls gets his panties in a twist. You talk to Haughtstuff yet?" Wynonna asked, slipping Peacemaker's belt over her hips.

"No...but I've got something in the works." Waverly smiled, but fiddled with her fingers nervously.

"That's my Babygirl. I'll see you later ok?" Wynonna placed a soft kiss to her sister's temple. "And stop beating yourself up." She ordered.

"Ok." Waverly chuckled meakly as Wynonna marched out the door, flashing her two thumbs up.

Nicole tapped her pen on her desk, staring at a file that should have been filed out hours ago. She just couldn't focus today. Every time she tried, her mind would go back to Waverly. She should just call her. She should just tell her what happened and be done with it right? She would have to own up to it eventually, anyways. It wasn't like she could avoid it forever. Esspecially if it meant Waverly staying away. She didn't know how much longer she could take that.

Nicole opened her desk drawer and slipped out her phone.

Sent from Nicole 3:43 pm

Hey love can i come over tonight

after shift?

Sent from Waverly 3:45 pm

Sure thing! Can't wait! :)

Nicole sighed with relief. This would be over soon then. Maybe now she could finished this damned report.

Five minutes in, though, the world still seemed bound determined to keep her away from filing when a teen backed in throught the front door calling her name. "Flowers for Officer Nicole Haught?" He called.

Nicole came around her desk, her brow furrowed as Nedley emerged from his office to see what the new commotion was. No one ever came into the station except them and Black Badge unless they came to complain about something or other.

"I'm Nicole." She announced, taking the flowers from him when he handed them out to her. They were heavier than she expected.

She was probably grinning far more than she should be given her boss was staring at her, but she didn't particularly care at the moment. Her girlfriend had sent her flowers. No girl had ever done that for her. Her stomach was so filled with butterflies, she didn't know how on earth she would get anything done for the rest of the day. Maybe if Nedley went back in his office she could skip out on a patrol that would happen to take her by the homestead…

"Have a good day." The flower boy nodded and went back off to his car.

"You too." Nicole answered automatically, but her mind was far off.

"Officer Haught." Nedley's voice snapped her back to the present. He wasn't usually so sharp with her.

"Yes, sir?" She went to go place the vase on her desk.

"Now what you do in your personal time is your own business, but you are an officer of the law while you are in that uniform. You will kindly tell your boyfriend not to be sending anything else to this station."

Nicole had to bite her lip at the mention of a boyfriend. But she had talked with Waverly close friends and family for now. "Of course, sir. I will tell him, sir."

Nedley hurumfed. "Well then I guess it's okay this one time." He softened. "And while we're on the topic, you might as well tell me the man's name. It's good for a sheriff to know his officers."

"Uhhh...Jacob." Nicole spit out the name of the first boy she could think of, her little cousin who she had called this morning. It was his eighth birthday.

"Jacob Fernstien? Ray's boy?"

"Uh yes sir." Oh god she hoped this didn't get around town or she would have a lot of explaining to do. Especially because she saw Jacob Fernstien in a certain coffee shop on her last trip into the city, and he may or may not have been holding the hand of another young man.

"Well, he seems like a good enough fellow. Haven't had in here too many times so that's a good sign!" Nedley laughed at his own joke, and Nicole tried to go along. When would this conversation end? "Well, I wish you two the best of luck."

"Thanks…" Nicole rubbed the back of her neck. She couldn't imagine how red her face must be by now.

"You uh," Nedley seemed to be at a loss about where to take the conversation from there as well. "You uh finished with that report yet."

"Just doing it now, sir."

"Well then I'll leave you to it. But you be telling that Fernstien boy to leave off when you're at work, or I'll have a mind to tell him myself."

"That won't be necessary." Nicole rushed. "I'll just uh go and fill out…"

"Yes yes Nedley waved his hand and went back into his office. Nicole heaved a sigh of relief. Thank god that conversation was over.

Back at her desk, though, she couldn't bring herself to plpug in more boring facts onto paperwork before she read the little white card sticking out from between two pink lilies.

 _Forgive me, forgive this fool / Sorry that I acted so cruel / I love you and I will love only you / Take my hand and let's start anew. -Gabrielle Yana Concepcion_

 _I'm really sorry. I thought this poem said all I really wanted to in way fewer words than I could. Please forgive me. I miss you. -Your Waverly_

Nicole smile at first at the pretty words, but then she realized what they meant. Waverly was blaming herself for what she did last night. Nicole kicked the back of her desk, rattling the contents and stubbing her toe. She was so stupid not to have seen this coming. Why was she such a coward last night? She should have just explained when she could have.

Nicole made to go run to her cruiser but stopped herself. She was going over after her shift, and Nedley was going to have her head if she didn't finish her paperwork after how worked up he had been about the flowers earlier. She kicked the back of her desk again.

She poured over those files so hard to get out of there faster she hardly noticed when Wynonna rushed out of the station with nothing but a quick yell to Dolls about needing to get home.

 **Same thing as usual: reviews are what I write for!**


	3. Chapter 3

"Waverly!" Wynonna barged through the door screaming her name. "Waverly where are you?"

"Here right here. Jeez what's wrong?" She came rushing down the stairs. Did someone get hurt? Was there an emergency?

Wynonna seemed to slump at the sight of her. "Oh Babygirl…" She pulled her little sister into a fierce hug. "I'm so sorry…"

"Wy, you're scaring me. What happened?" Waverly pulled away from the hug. "Is everyone okay?"

"She won't be when I'm done with her." Wynonna cursed under her breath.

"What?"

"Uh, yeah. But I think you should sit down for this one. Why don't I just grab us some beers from the fridge?" Wynonna suddenly wasn't so sure she could do this. But she had to. It was her sisterly duty.

"It's not even dinner time! Wynonna just spit it out!" Waverly had had enough frustration for the day. But then she remembered: two more hours until Nicole got off. Two and a half before she got here. She smiled giddily without realizing it.

"Nicole is cheating on you!" Wynonna spit out, slapping that grin off Waverly's face.

"Wynonna, seriously, I'm not that stupid. What's really up?" Waverly scoffed, but then Wynonna didn't respond. She just kind of bit her lip and tried to look anywhere but her sister's eyes. "Wynonna?"

"I'm so sorry."

Waverly sunk back onto the couch behind her. "H-how do you know?" Nicole isn't Champ. Nicole wouldn't do this. I love Nicole. She loves me. But they hadn't said that to each other yet, had they?

Wynonna had the courtesy to look sheepish. "I heard her chatting with Nedley-"

"Nedley?!" Out of all the people to discuss your side to she choice her boss? But htne, Nedley wouldn't know she was two timing, would he? They had barely told their families yet. A scary thought hit her: what if I'm the one she's having on the side? It was worse to think she had someone else that meant more to her than herself...worse than just plain cheating. But even that she had never thought Nicole would do. She had thought she was better than Champ.

"Yeah. I was in the break room making coffee and well there they went yapping on about her boyfriend-"

"Boyfriend?" Somehow that little detail struck her in all that mess. She could have sworn her girlfriend had always just been into other girls. But then again, Waverly had never been interested in girls until Nicole Haught sauntered into her life.

"Hey man, I was just as shocked as you, but yeah. Boyfriend." Wynonna went around to comfort her sister with a hug, but she pushed her away. Waverly needed to process right now. To make sense of this situation.

She swallowed down the lump in her throat. "Who? W-who's the boyfriend? Did she say?"

"Jacob Fernstien."

"The kid whose locker you graffitied in seventh grade?"

"The very one."

"Oh my god." The thought hit her dimly that she somehow wished her sister could go back a do a bit more damage than could be found in a bottle of spray paint.

"Are you okay?" Wynonna placed her hand on her sister's back. This time Waverly didn't push her away but just shook her head lightly. The tears weren't falling yet. She didn't know why. She certainly felt like she was going to puke any minute.

How-how did this happen? Waverly wracked her brain, analyzing every situation, every conversation they had had. Were there any clues? Was there something that she should have caught before? Was a there a way she could have prevented it? Then she realized the common denominator between the only two real relationships she had ever been in. They had both cheated. That didn't just happen out of coincidence. She had done it. She had done it somehow. She didn't know how, just that she had.

She buckled over, vaguely aware her face was finally wet. She had needed Champ, needed him so she could fit in, so the looks around town would lighten up, so she never broke up with him when he would come in smelling like some perfume that wasn't her and most definitely wasn't his mother's. But she hadn't needed him like she needed Nicole. He never lit up the sky when he walked in a room. Made her want to dance in the rain just because they could. Made her feel like she was worth more than anything on the planet. But apparently she wasn't worth all that much, because she hadn't been enough.

Waverly glanced down at her phone buzzing on the end table beside her, a selfie of her and Nicole under the caller i.d. Her girlfriend was smiling at her while she laughed at something funny someone had said. She couldn't remember the joke.

Finally Waverly's stomach gave in, and hot bile rose up in her throat and onto the floor as the phone kept ringing.

Nicole was driving faster than she knew she probably should have after she had dialed Waverly's number only to be greeted by her short sweet voice message Hi it's Waverly. Leave a message. Also if your Doc just hang up and don't worry about it. And Wynonna do not get into that car I'll be there as soon as I can. She couldn't help but smile at her girlfriend's voice, always assuming her sister probably only called her to get a ride back from a bar. She hoped she wasn't too beat up by the time she got back to the homestead.

Her tires finally let off the asphalt onto the Earp's gravel drive and she barreled out of the cruiser she had taken to work. At the door, she knocked harder than she intended, wincing at the noise.

Still, she almost leap at Wynonna, expecting for her to be her petite girlfriend when the worn door swung open. "Wyno-"

"Give me one reason why I don't turn this on you." Wynonna already had Peacemaker in her hands, a little too close to aiming at Nicole's thigh for any form of comfort.

"What?" She started at her incredulously. "Wynonna are you okay? How much have you had to drink?"

"I'm perfectly sober thank you you cheating bitch."

Her words felt like a slap in Nicole's face. "Excuse me?"  
"Oh honey I've been with enough douchebags like you to not fall for the innocent and hurt act."

"I don't know what you're talking about. I would never cheat on anyone! I would never cheat on Waverly! Never!" She couldn't believe this. She couldn't believe that that was the conclusion they had come to. Just because she had walked out? Yeah, it had been weird, but...did Waverly really distrust her this much?

Wynonna sized her up and down. "Is that what you tell Jacob?"

Nicole was stunned for a quick second before she could put together what Wynonna was saying. She took a step back to lean her head again one of the beams holding the porch's little roof up. Deep breaths. It's okay. You can work this out.

"Jacob Fernstien is about as gay as I am and probably hasn't touched a woman except his mother in years."

"Is that why you were gabbing on about him with Sheriff stick ass when he sent you flowers?"

"Waverly sent me those flowers. They were from her. There was an apology letter and there shouldn't have been and it's all so complicated. Please," Nicole turned back to Wynonna, who had slipped Peacemaker back into the holster at her hip. "Let me see her. I can make this all right." Wynonna still eyed her warily, letting them stall in the doorway. Nicole gulped down a swallow, her throat closing up already, "Wynonna I would never hurt her like that. You have to believe me. It's just all a big misunderstanding…" She trailed off. She didn't know how much Waverly had told her sister about the night that had started all of this.

There was a clang from inside, like something very heavy was knocked over, followed by a soft "ow." "Wait here," Wynonna sighed, and turned back into the house.

"Babygirl, what are you doing?" She found her sister upside down attempting to tug on a pair of boots, still on the couch that she had somehow managed to flip over.

"I am going over to that Fernstien's house and giving him a piece of my mind." Waverly huffed, finally getting the boot on her foot and hopping back onto her feet.

"Uh...I don't know if that's a good idea." Under the stink of vomit on her breath, Wynonna could detect the telltale scent of alcohol. She must have raided the booze cabinet after Wynonna left when she screamed at her to leave her alone.

"Well I don't care!" Waverly twirled. "Either he's as big a chump as I am and doesn't know or he's just as conniving-"

"You know what? You're right." Wynonna ushered her towards the door. "You should go and talk to him right now. Just walk out onto the porch and go."

"Thank you." Waverly breathed. She definitely couldn't hold her liquor as well as her sister. Either that or she had way more than was healthy.

She yanked open the door with her sloppy fingers and froze.

There was her girlfriend. Soon-to-be-ex girlfriend, she amended. All perfect red braid, white stetson turning in her hands, and kind eyes that made her swoon. Waverly glared.

Nicole tried to force on a smile, but she was too nervous. Making her hand force itself into a weak wave she went for a quiet, "Hi," sounded on the breath of her heart.

For all her efforts, though, she was rewarded with a pounding right hook.


	4. Chapter 4

**For people who have been reading for a while: I'm just doing a bit of reorganizing of the chapters. For those who are just coming: please leave your thoughts in the review section.**

Nicole clutched her jaw. "I deserved that for what you think I did." That didn't make it hurt any less. Not just her mouth-her girlfriend was strong enough to do enough damage there-but someone down deeper too. Where she could feel that bond of trust they had kindled between them...cracking.

Nicole hadn't cried in front of anyone since she was ten years old, so as she felt her eyes water, she really prayed the Earp sisters thought it was from the physical pain.

When she worked up the courage to look back at Waverly in the eye, she didn't want to accept what she saw. The pure heated anger on the face that was always so sweet, the sharp needle pain she had shoved underneath, the drink reddened cheeks. _I forced Waverly to drink. I did that. How much lower can I get?_

"Hey, Babygirl," Wynonna placed her hands on her sister's shoulders, like she was trying to protect her and stop her from going anywhere at the same time. "Why don't we go inside? You guys can talk it out then?"

"Maybe take a nap? Sober up and I'll wait downstairs for you?" Nicole suggested.

"I don't wait you in our house." Waverly hissed. She didn't see Nicole gulp down the insult.

"I'll just wait in my car then. Come outside whenever you're ready."

Waverly glared at her, but couldn't come up with a response quick enough before Nicole was backing away off the porch and back into her cruiser. She could barely hear the murmured whispers Wynonna encouraged Waverly back into the house.

Nicole blasted the radio as loud as she could while knowing Waverly wouldn't hear it in the house. She was hoping it would drown out her thoughts. It didn't.

A giant banging on her window startled Nicole even over the still-blaring music. She must have fallen asleep. She nearly punched the radio power button and rolled down her window. _Waverly Waverly-Wynonna._ It was the elder Earp sister at her door.

"Oh thank god. You were going to give all the county a migraine."

"Sorry," Nicole mumbled, rubbing her temples. She did have a headache, though she wasn't sure if that was from the music or the stress.

"You wanna come in? Waves finally fell asleep, but I doubt she'll be up for another few hours."

"She said she didn't want…"

"And I say I do. Come on. We have pasta and some doughnuts left over from this morning." Nicole hesitated. Maybe she hadn't done anything that wrong in reality, but Waverly didn't know that, and she didn't want to do anything that would make her uncomfortable. "Come on Haughtstuff don't make me watch the pbr by myself."

"You have bull riding on?" She had been so busy with all the moving and then spending time with Waverly, she hadn't seen a contest in so long. She had loved watching them with her siblings growing up, always betting old candy on who would win.

Wynonna flashed her weak attempt at a pouty face. She would never beat her sister in that department. "Fine." Nicole sighed, and popped open her door.

"Top shelf. Top shelf." Wynonna chuckled, somehow coaxing out a smile from the officer.

The tv was on low when they went inside. For all her bravado, Wynonna really did care about her sister. So even when rodeo was the louder the better, she didn't push her luck on a napping drunk that was sure to wake up with a hangover.

Nicole took a doughnut when she plopped on the couch, but after a few bites it did little more than spread powder on her fingers. She tried focusing on the insane Vegas cowboys and whatever Wynonna was talking about this time, but her mind was on one thing. Well, many things that all circled around one thing. One person.

Like the time when Waverly had gotten the flu and they had curled up on this couch and had a Harry Potter movie marathon. How Waverly cried when Dobby died and tried to point out everything that was different in the books. How Nicole had gotten sick a few days later, just as Waverly was recovering and the little Earp had brought her chicken soup and stayed over at her apartment until midnight just talking.

The walk they had taken through the hills just beyond the homestead, where Nicole had first told Waverly she loved her. Waverly had tried to kiss her while they were still walking and had tripped. They had rolled all the way down the still snowy hill together until Nicole had slammed into a tree trunk. It had hurt at first. Until Waverly was kissing her senseless. She still remember the way her lips had formed the words _I love you too_ for the first time against Nicole's own.

Or the time when they had volunteered a Saturday at the local shelter with a group of other people and Waverly had gotten the job to walk all the dogs while the rest of them cleaned out the cages. Nicole could still remember the way she had gone home smelling like bleach, wet dog and poop and Waverly was still as fresh as she had come in, plus a little hair from an overzealous german shepard. It had been worth it though, because Nicole had been able to watch her through the window to the mini shelter dog park, laughing, playing fetch and smiling all day. She had never seen anything brighter.

She wanted that back. God, how much she wanted all of that back. She didn't care what she had to do to get it.


	5. Chapter 5

**Trying to make these a bit longer for you guys... tell me how I did.**

A bang from upstairs a few hours later had Nicole scrambling out of her ravine. "The beast awakens." Wynonna murmured. The pbr had ended an hour and a half ago, giving way to some exercise equipment infomercial neither had had the energy to get up to change. "I should go," she rose off the couch with a giant stretch, "good luck."

"Thanks." Nicole's leg had set to bouncing again, her fingers tapping a rhythm on her belt. Just let her make this right.

"Hey," Wynonna shrugged on her coat, "for what it's worth, I believe you. And you make her happy. So, uh, don't screw this up."

"I'll try."

"I'll be at Shorty's if you need me." Wynonna offered on her way out the door.

Nicole started to pace as soon as the door was shut. She tried coming up with some speech in her head, explaining everything, but nothing could sound right, even to herself. _Plan...plan...Waverly's the planner._ Nicole was always spur of the moment, do whatever you can to get what has to be done done. But that wasn't this situation. She didn't have the wiggle room to mess this up a few times and then go back and fix it. She needed to be the girlfriend Waverly deserved. Not just now but everytime.

She heard the water running in the sink upstairs. She only had a couple of minutes before she would be down here. Should she go back out to her cruiser like she had asked before? But then that would be like she was trying to deceive her and she didn't want to do that.

Nicole huffed the biggest breath her lungs could hold. This was Waverly. Beautiful smiling sweet Waverly. Everything would work out. It would. Wouldn't it?

The stairs creaked. _Shit._ Suddenly, for all her waiting, Nicole wasn't ready. She rushed into the kitchen. _Why? Why did you do that?_ Aspirin. Waverly would have a headache after all that alcohol. She grabbed it from the cabinet she always saw Wynonna snooching from. Would that be seen as too forward? Taking things from her cabinets in her house after she had order her not even to go inside? Maybe she should put them back and-

"Nicole?" Waverly stood at the threshold of the kitchen. Her cheeks had lost their redness, and her eyes seemed to have cleared, even if they were a bit puffy still.

"I, uh, thought you might want some aspirin." She shoved the bottle out to her in one jerky motion. _Idiot, idiot._ Nicole cursed herself. _Be cool. Be confident. You can do this._

"I'm and Earp," Waverly drawled, "it takes way more booze than that to give me a hangover." The words were playful, but the monotone coating them weren't. "You wanted to talk?" Nicole nodded, her words failing her. Waverly stepped aside so she would follow her out to the other room. "You can leave the aspirin."

"Right. Oh. Right." She put in back on the counter, trying to ignore how her hands shook as they did so. Waverly Earp would be her undoing.

Nicole felt her hand brush against Waverly's side as she scooted through the door. She didn't miss how her shrunk away at the touch.

"Waverly I…" She didn't know what to say. There was no dumb pick up line, no flirty quib.

"Why?" Waverly questioned, her eyes fierce and pointed. The world outside the homestead was dark, encasing them like they were the only people left on the planet. Her words rang loud and hollow in the giant space. "I want to know why. I mean-I thought everything was going fine. I thought...I thought we were happy." Her voice cracked. She swallowed, steeling herself.

"Waverly, I was so happy. I never wanted anything else. Waverly, Waverly." She grabbed her arm so she would look at her. "I love you. I love you s much."

"Bullshit!" Waverly ripped her arm out of Nicole's, who had to force herself to stay upright at the force of the blow. Not Waverly backing away from her physically. No, the fact that she thought she would lie to her about loving her. That she had been lying to her.

"You know what I had been trying to talking to you about for the past two weeks?" Waverly could feel the despair in her morphing, turing into the anger she had felt earlier on the porch. "I kept trying to bring it up but kept chickening out. I guess I'm glad I didn't. Saved my ears from whatever lie you'd feed me then."  
"What-What did you want to talk about?"

"The future Nicole! The future! I wanted to talk about a life together. Marriage kids everything! I wanted that. But apparently I'm just too stupid to realize when someone isn't who they say they are." She had tears coming out of her eyes now. She swiped at them. Oblivious, blind Waverly. Dreaming about a little house after the revenants, two little kids with a woman who had cheated on her. Every night, when Nicole was working the late shift, she would tuck herself into bed with dreams of that quiet life. Nicole would drop them off at school in the morning on her way to work, after Waverly had packed them little sandwiches for lunch. Then Waverly would walk them home after school where she would help them with their homework and teach them arts and crafts until Nicole would come home from work and they would talk about their days. Whatever odd calls the station had gotten that day, whatever new tidbit Waverly had found in her research. She had wanted that life. She had wanted it so bad. And now…

"I-I," Nicole's mind was reeling. It was too much too much at once. Waverly had thought about a family. A family with her. She couldn't help but grin like a fool.

"So proud are you? You got the girl to fall for you while you played her the whole time?" That brought Nicole back to Earth.

No time for subtly left. "I didn't cheat on you. I would never cheat on you. Ever." She tried to reach for her hand, but she pulled away.

"Yeah, is that what you tell Jacob too?"

"Waverly, come on…"

"No! All this talk about how Champ was below me and now you turn around and you're no better!"

"Waverly!" Nicole hated raising her voice, but she had to get her point out. She couldn't take this. Not a second longer. "I didn't cheat on you. You sent me those flowers at work-"

"So now it's my fault?"

"No! Just listen to me!" She screamed. She hated it, but she screamed. So loud she could feel the pain in the back of her throat. "I'm sorry." She brought herself back to a whisper, afraid to make any movements. "I'm sorry." She repeated, dropping down onto the couch. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to do that. I didn't…" She trailed off trying to breathe. Maybe she wasn't good enough for Waverly. Maybe she never would be. Whether she cheated or not.

Waverly sank down next to her, her hand cautiously going to rub her girlfriend's back. The touch still sent something like fire down her veins, but she couldn't focus on that right then. "Okay. I'm listening. What happened?"

So Nicole told her about the flowers and the gossiping Nedley and, "I didn't know what to do," she said. "He wanted a name, and we weren't really out yet and I didn't want to do that without your permission. I had just called my nephew earlier so it was the first name I could think of and then he just assumed it was Jacob Fernstein so I went along with it."

"Have you been taking lessons from me in rambling?" Waverly laughed, but the joke was strained. Like she still didn't know how to make sense of all of this.

"I guess I have," her accent was thicker than normal from the emotion. It just made her all the cuter to Waverly, and all the harder to stay mad at.

"I believe you," Waverly murmured, almost scared to break the quiet peace between them. She fiddled with the soft calloused fingers next to hers. "I didn't think you could have at first. But then Wynonna...well she was so sure, and you know...I've had experience with it and I guess I just got so paranoid and I-"

"Hey," Nicole swiped the hair that was falling into Waverly's eyes behind her ear. "You don't have to explain. The evidence was pretty damning against me."

Waverly smiled half-heartedly, "yeah, I guess it was."

Then she looked down at those lips she had never thought she would kiss again, and was leaning in, soft and tender. Slightly chapped from biting them, but all the more perfect for it. "I love you." They breathed at the same time when they came up for air.

"Ginx, you owe me a coke." Waverly giggled.

"How about we make that take out and a movie at my place?"

"Tonight?"

"It's almost midnight."

"I don't mind if you don't." Waverly leaned back into Nicole's side, enjoying her warmth, the way their bodies contoured to each other's.

"Well, then I say let's go. Wang's is open until two am on Saturday's."

They were in the car halfway to town when a thought tugged back at Waverly. She had forgotten all about it in the midst of the maybe-cheating scandal. "Hey, um, Nicole?" She loved the little hum her girlfriend let out in response as she drove. "I just want to know, about yesterday…" she could see Nicole's knuckles turn white on the steering wheel, "why you walked out like that if...well you know?"

Nicole pulled the cruiser off the road and into a side ditch, flipping the hazards on. She didn't trust herself with this story while driving.

 **Thanks so much for reading and don't forget to leave a comment in the review section. I really love your feedback!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Sorry for the late update. School is just back into session so it's been a little busy over here. I hope you enjoy the last chapter!**

Nicole held Waverly's hands over the console. "It was stupid really. I was just irrational and I got scared and I shouldn't have been."

Rubbing her thumb over the back of her girlfriend's hand, Waverly searched Nicole's face. "You can tell me."

Her eyes darted down, away from Waverly's. She had been so stupid that night.

"Nicole…" Fingers threaded through her hair, bringing it out of her face. Nicole couldn't help but look back up.

"I've had girlfriends-and a boyfriend-before. You know that, right?" At some point, she could recall having a conversation about one ex or another. A light mention, nothing serious, it hadn't been a big deal.

The breath of Waverly's giggle stirred against her cheeks. "I know. I didn't exactly expect to be your first kiss." They were both in their twenties, this wasn't a nunnery.

"Well the way that we were going... and it...and I...I've only ever had sex once before." Her face was reddening, she knew it, and with that stupid light on in the car ceiling she knew there was no hope in hiding it.

But Waverly didn't respond like she expected she would. She just scrunched her nose up. "Really?"

"Uh...yeah."

"I just thought you would have been with tons of people." Nicole raised an eyebrow at her. What was she implying there? "No I mean-I don't mean that I thought you were like...loose or anything. I just-you were so confident-and the way you walked-I mean you have that smirk like someone knows they can have whatever they want. Not that you're entitled or anything I just assumed that you would...you know...have a trail of broken hearts or something."

"You think I'm some kind of player?" Nicole pulled her hands back from the console. First she thinks she would cheat on her and next she's accusing her of hooking up with tons of people? How much did they really know each other?

"No!" Waverly forgot they were still in the tiny cruiser, and screamed loud enough for Nicole to flinch. "Just who wouldn't want you?" She reached back over for her girlfriend's hands, and this time she didn't pull away.

Somehow, her voice was still bitter when she muttered, "plenty of people, trust me."

They were silent for a little while. Minutes passed, letting the tension diffuse out of the car. They loved each other. Down to their very cores. But that wasn't enough to know each other, not completely, not in the few months they had been dating. Time, these things took time.

"So is that why… I was going to fast?"

"No!...yes...no...it's complicated." Nicole ran her hands threw her hair. "So I waited until college to come out." The only way to explain this was to unravel it, bit by bit.

"I know. You told me."

"I know, but I didn't tell you everything that happened my freshman year." It was so embarrassing. So silly, really. "My roommate. She was dating this football recruit she had known from their hometown or whatever, but he found someone knew and second semester they broke it off. She told me broke it off because she had feelings for...for me. She was the first girl I had ever really had a chance with and I took it. We went on a couple of dates, parties or whatever, and one night we were drunk and well, back in our room, no one could stop us from going all the way."

Waverly bit her cheek, keeping the jealousy down. Nicole needed to get this off her chest, this was her time.

"The next morning I woke up with a blazing hangover and a note left on my desk explaining how sorry she was and how she didn't want to hurt me but she shouldn't have done this and she really was straight and getting back with the boyfriend. Three days later, she even requested a new roommate.

"It was just a casual thing, but I was nineteen and she was my first girlfriend. My first kiss outside the high school beard. I was heartbroken. Of course I saw her around campus for the next couple years, but we never talked and we really just didn't...didn't." Reaching for a deep breath, Nicole tugged on their hands between them reassuringly. "I couldn't let that happen with you. It hurt when she did it, but I can't lose you, Waverly. You mean too much to me.

"Are you mad?"

Waverly shook her head. "No." She had tears coming out of her eyes now, flowing freely down her cheeks. Lunging for her across the seats, she pulled her into the tightest hug she could muster in the awkward cruiser. "I'm just really glad you didn't say her name in that whole story."

"Why?"

"Because I feel a very strong need to go find my shotgun." She laughed. Someone had hurt her girlfriend, enough that it still affected her today, and as insane as it was, Waverly wanted them to pay for it.

"So you're not mad?"

Waverly looked up at her with an impish grin. "I will be if you keep asking the same question," she said and pressed her lips up onto Nicole's. "I could never be mad at you for something like that."

Strain leaked out of her body as Nicole breathed in Waverly sweet perfume. She had been worried for nothing. "I love you," she whispered like they were the only two people left in the world and it was only them who needed to hear.

"I love you, too."

"Good, because I want to do this right." Waverly almost jolted at the sudden determination in her voice. "Take things slow. Appreciate every little thing about you. Know you better than I know myself."

Waverly wrapped her fingers up into Nicole's hair. "Let's do it then. I won't do anything you don't want me to."

"I'm here, Waves. I'm here for the long-haul."

This time, Waverly couldn't help herself from pulling Nicole's lips down to hers. "We need to make a stop at Shorty's before Wang's." Nicole raised an eyebrow at her but Waverly only pecked her cheek, "It'll be quick, I promise."

"Okay then." Shaking her head, she still couldn't help the little smile on her face. Her girlfriend and her plans.

Waverly grabbed her head the second the ignition was turned off in the parking lot of Shorty's. "Let's go!"

"Okay okay! But you can't pull me out your side of the car!" Nicole chuckled as Waverly tried dragging her out of the passenger side, over the console.

"Oh, right. Sorry." Letting go, Nicole popped out the driver's door, and retook her girlfriend's hand.

"I love you." Nicole murmured into Waverly's soft brown hair. The little humm she got in response was enough to send her flying. "So are you going to tell me what we're doing here."

"Nope! You'll find out!" Waverly pulled them through the front door. People were everywhere, crowded at the bar, dancing way off beat. Through the press of bodies, they had to struggle and elbow their way all the way up to the counter.

"Waverly! Oh thank god you're here! There's a-"

"Sorry, Max, I'm not working tonight!" She screamed back at him over the noise. "But do you mind if I use a table for a bit?"

"Go on ahead." He shrugged.

Waverly grinned as wide as a cheshire cat as she hopped onto the only empty table left in the pub, a rickety three legged half-rotted thing that had probably been there since the place opened while Wyatt Earp was still here.

"Waves, what are your doing?" Nicole tried to tug her down. There was no way she was safe standing on that.

"Come here." She urged.

"There's no way I'm getting on top of that." But only three seconds of puppy-dog eyes had her climbing up next to her. "If this breaks I'm blaming you."

Waverly didn't seem to hear her though as she whistled over the roar to get those who weren't already staring at them to pay attention. Suddenly, this didn't seem like too good of an idea to her anymore with all those eyes staring up at them. Most of the drunk, almost all of them male, and even more she knew held small town bigotry in their hearts. But there was no backing down now so she hollered at the top of her lungs, "This is my girlfriend Nicole Haught and I love her!" and kissed her hard on the mouth.

Some cheered probably thinking this was the beginning of some stripper act, others grumbled and looked away like they were ashamed, while others booed, but neither one of the women on the table cared as the old wood finally gave away and smashed under their weight.

Nicole grabbed onto Waverly's hips. Somehow they both landed on their feet in the giant crash. "Are you okay?" She panicked, searching for blood.

"Are you?" Nicole knew she wasn't talking about the table.

"I can't believe you just did that." She smiled. Perhaps kissing on a table in the middle of a dark bar at one a.m. wasn't how she pictured coming out with their relationship, but it worked.

"But you're okay with it? I mean, I guess I should have asked you first but then-"

"I am more than okay with it." Nicole pressed her lips down for a softer, slower kiss than the one they just had. "Now let's get out of here, because I don't think the drunks are appreciating our performance anymore."

"To Wang's?"

"Let's go." So, they walked out hand in hand, no longer caring who saw them.

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